Fluid-clutch speed-controller and power-transmitter.



R. E. NEWOOMB.

FLUID ULUTCH SPEED CONTROLLER AND POWER TRANSMITTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1908.

923,565, Patented June 1, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

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R. E. NEWGOMB. FLUID CLUTCH SPEED CONTROLLER AND POWER TRANSMITTER, APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 7, 1908. 923,565, Patented June 1, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

ATTORNEY.

UNITED sTATES r nrnnr OFFICE.

ROBERT E. NEWUOMB, OF l-IOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLUID-CLUTCH SPEED-CONTROLLER AND POWER-TRANSMITTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 1mm 1, 1909.-

Application filed larch 7, 1908. Serial No. 419,782.

Power-Transmitters, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved power transmitting and speed controlling mechanism comprising a fluid prossu re clutch available for transmitting power from a given rotating shaft or element to another rotating shaft or mechanism; and the same is available in its combination between one rotating element-or mechanism and another where a change of speed between. them is desired.

The invention comprises a shaft or rotating element having a hollow head and a secondary shaft'axially alined with the first shaft having a portion thereof located concentrically within the chamber in said head and having a plate or disk a'l'l'ixed thereto and extended outwardly within said opening and means for applying fluid, under pressure, within the chambered head.

As specifically carried out the inventionincludes interleaved disks or plates, some t iereof carried by circumferential portions of the chambered head and others carried by the secondary shaft and arranged in face- Wise relations and slightly separated one from the other.

The invention furthermore consists in the combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is art a section on the plane of its axis of the part a side view. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on a )lane intersecting the axis of the device ifl'erent from that on which the sectional portion, Fig. 1 is taken. Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view showing elemental parts hereinafter referred to. Fig. 4 is a view as taken at the left hand end, Fig. 1. Line 1 1, on Fig. 4, indicates the plane on which the sectional portion of Fig. 1 is taken; and line 2-2, indicates the plane on which Fig. 2 is taken. Fig. 5 is a face view of one of the disks carried within, and by, the chambered head. Fig. 6 is a face View of uid pressure clutch, and inv shaft. Fig. 7' is a-face view of one of the annular s acing sections combined in the chambere head. 8 is a face view of the spacing collarinterposed between inner portions of the secondary shaft-carrying disks.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

In the drawings, A represents what is here regarded as the primary or driving shaft, and B' the secondary or driven shaft.

The primary shaft has a circular head flange C carrying one or more cglinders' D, each having a port or way. a lea ing through said head flange near, but at a suitable dlstance within theouter edge thereof. The end ortion of the secondary shaft is fitted withln a bearing socket b therefor in the flange head carrying portion of the primary shaft. The portion of the secondary shaft adjacent its end which has a bearin en agement in the primary shaft is inclose wit in a sleeve section F, which is constructed with a circular flange G in 0 position to the primary shaft head flange I 10 represents a centrally apertured disk which together with annular spacing sections of 'any suitable material is confined or clamped, as by the bolts d, between marginal portions of the said shaft head flange C andthe sleeve flange G.

If f represent a pair of disks in separated formed between the suitably separated head flanges C and G and outwardly closed by the s acing rings 12, -12, which clamp between t 1cm the marginal portion of the disk 10.

The extremity of the shaft B which is fitted in the aforementioned journal sockets b, axially beyond its end is made with a shoulder 9 and a key way h.f The centrally apertured disks, f as shown in Fig. 6 also have key ways 15, so that in their engagements on the shaft B with an interposed spacing collar '1' also having a key way 16, these parts by key or spline j are engaged non-rotatively with the secondaryshaft B; and the spacing collar keeps the disksf f in their proper separation with relation to each other and also tothe relatively intermediate disk 10 carried by the one of the disks carried by the secondary l clamped or confined agamst the shoulder by a bind to clamp the disks f I and the spacing collar tbetween it and the shoulder g, by the headed screw 'm, the shank of which axially penetrates the extremity of the secondary shaft B while the head engages, in a countersunk seat therefor, the end wall of the thimble.

In the example of the device here given two of the cylinders D are shown as integrally formed in opposite relations on the head flange C, the ports or fluid ways a for each communieatin into the chamber in the head adjacent the clrcular lineof the edges of the disks f. The piston J in each cylinder D has a piston rod or stem-like extension is; and

- levers L duplicated and respectively appurtenant to each piston are,on pivot studs m at the rear face of the head flange,intermediately fulcrumed. Each lever at its outer end has an engagement with the piston rod by slot n in the lever and stud 0 carried by the piston rod so that a swinging movement imparted. to the lever imparts a reciprocatory movement to the piston in the cylinder against the liquid or fluid therein. The levers carry rollers s at their inner ends adj acent the eriphery of the shaft A coacting with whic roller rovided lever extremities is a collar P slidab e on the shaft A and having an inclined or cam constituting circumferentially continuous surface t for impingement against the lever carried rollers s when the collar is slid in the line of the axis of the shaft. A usual form of yoke a carried b a lever a engages the grooved slidable co lar P; and a represents an operating rod for imparting the shifting movement to the collar. A spring 23 is applied in relation to each lever L for retractile actionthereon. The cylinder and istons are principally utilized to keep the uid chamber x, more or less, filled with the fluid, but may also vary the pressure, when desired.

In operation with the collar P shifted to the rightward and the pistons outwardly drawn in the cylinders D no motion will be transmitted from the driving shaft A to the other shaft B, but if the sleeve is moved on the shaft toward the chambered and disk inclosing head the pistons are, in consequence thereof, forced toward the head, forcing a fluid through the ductsv a into the clearance spaces between the disks, and the friction of t e fluid u on the inner surfaces of the chambered hea and the head carrying disk causes it to follow or rotate with these parts. The

be varied through an indefinite range according to the quantity of the fluid or liquid displaced by the pistons from the cylinders intothe chambered disk accommodating head. The disks may if desired, some or all thereof, have apertures 20 therethrough, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, for accelerating the distribution of thefluid within the interleaved disk structure.

As shown. in Fig. 3, interposed annular packings of paper, rubber, or any suitable compressible material are represented as interposed between the spacing rings 12 and the disks and also between the spacing rings 12 and the head flanges C and G to the end of acquiring an absolutely tight closure at the circumference ofthe chambered head; and combined with the sleeve F is a stuffing box, as re resented at Q in Fig. 1, for-preventlng any i cakago and loss of the liquic centrally from the chamber along the driving shaft. In some of these devices a single cylinder and piston operating connections would suffice, and on the other hand the number thereof resented in the drawings hero provided, and manifest inversions or reversals of the ar rangements of the )arts may be carried out without departing IOXII my invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.-

I.claim: 1. In a clutch, a casing, a pair of shafts,

means carried by each shaft so as to face each other, said first named means being arranged in spaced relation so as to have but a slight space therebetween, and means for supplying fluid in said space to thereby fill the same with a thin film thereof to transmit movement of one shaft to the other by virtue of said interposed thin film of the fluid.

2. In a fluid pressure clutch, a shaft carrying an enlarged hollow head, having secured circumferentially thereto and extending inwardly therewithin, a plate or web, and another shaft axially alined with the first shaft having a portion thereof located concentric.- ally within the chamber in said head and having a plate aflixed thereto and extended outwardly within said opening, in fixed permanent separation form, and with a facewise overlapping relation to said head carried plate, and means for supplying fluid into the chamber in said head. 7

3. In a device of the character described, a rotative hollow head, and a shaft axially alined with said head, having an end portion thereof located concentrically within the chamber in said head, interleaved plates or webs arranged in sets, there being a fixed permanent space between said sets, said sets may be increased inany extent desired; and the clutch or transnnssion device may have); fewer or a greater number of disks than rep sleeve section flange in opposition to the head flange of the being respectively secured to the head and extended inwardly from the circumferential portion thereof and secured to,- and outwardly extended from, the extremity of said shaft, and means varying. the quantity of a fluid within the chamber inthe head.

4. In a device of the character described, a rotative hollow head, and a shaft axially alined with said head, having an end portion thereof located concentrically within the chamber in the head, interleaved plates or webs, respectively secured to the head and extended inwardly from the circumferential portion thereof and secured to, and outwardly extended from, the extremity of said shaft, a cylinder carried by said head having communication with the chamber in the head, a piston in the cylinder and means for forcibly moving the piston in the said cylin- (ler for varying the quantity of fluid dis placed from the cylinder into the head.

5. In a fluid pressure clutch, a shaft carrying an enlarged hollow head, and another shaft, axially alined with the first shaft, having a portion thereof located concentrically within the chamber in said head and having a plate affixed thereto and extended outwardly within said opening, a cylinder supported on the head, having a way leading therefrom into the said chamber, and having apiston provided with a piston rod, a lever pivotally mounted on the head having a cooperative engagement with the iston rod, and a cam-provided collar slida le on the head carrying shaft and engaging the iston operating lever, and means for sli ing said collar.

6. In a device of the characterdescribed, in combination, a shaft having a circular head flange and carrying a cylinder having a port leading through said head flange, a rovided with a circular shaft, a centrally apertured disk and spacing annular sections which with said disk are marginally confined between the head flange and the sleeve flange, a secondary shaft fitted port leading through said head flange, a

sleeve section, provided with a circular flange in opposition to said shaft head flange, a centrally apertured disk, together with annularspacing sections, confined between marginal portions of the head flange and sleeve flange, a secondary shaft fitted through said sleeve, having a shoulder at a distance from its end, a pair of disks in separated relations and non rotatively engaged on ,the shouldered edge portion of said sec.

ondary shaft having a spacing collar between them, and arranged in facewise relations to, and slightly se arated from, the said marginally confined dis a thimble inclosing the end of the secondary shaft and by its open end portion engaging the ad'acent one of the. shaft carried disks, a hea ed screw, the shank of which axially penetrates the end portion of the secondary shaft and the head of which engages the end wall of the thimble,

a piston in said cylinder, and means for oper-' ating such piston.

8. A clutch for transmitting movement of one body to a second; body by'means of I a' thin film of fluid interposed between the 1 bodies, composed of two solids arranged to have a space therebetween of such size as to.

1 admit but a thin film of fluid which is interposed between said solids, and'means for introducing a thin film of fluid in said space between the solids.

Signed by me at Springfield Mass, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT E. NEWCOMB. Witnesses: WM. S. BELLows, G. R.DR1sooLL. 

